TYREX : Polarised 3He filling station

The “Tyrex” filling station for nuclear polarisation of 3He gas has been constructed at the ILL during 2000-2002. The Tyrex machine uses metastability-exchange optical pumping for polarising the 3He gas at about 1 mbar pressure. The gas is then compressed up to several bars via a hydraulic titanium-alloy piston compressor. The machine can provide about 1.3 bar.l/h of 75-80% polarised gas.